Spikes taken with Quality permit

[MtnMuley]

I can remember hunting a Gov tag buck here a couple years back on Dec 31. Ended an epic season having 10 minutes of light left as we joked about having some prime 2 point steaks in the freezer. Just then, a year and a half old 2 point walks out in the road in front of us, all puffed up. After a few chuckles, we veered around him as we made our way off the mountain while the sun cast it's final rays of light on our season.......I can still taste the thought of those tender steaks

[huntnphool]

I can remember hunting a Gov tag buck here a couple years back on Dec 31. Ended an epic season having 10 minutes of light left as we joked about having some prime 2 point steaks in the freezer. Just then, a year and a half old 2 point walks out in the road in front of us, all puffed up. After a few chuckles, we veered around him as we made our way off the mountain while the sun cast it's final rays of light on our season.......I can still taste the thought of those tender steaks

 

[westsidehntr]

I keep checking to see if @bobcat pops back in here...

[jrebel]

I keep checking to see if @bobcat pops back in here...

Not likely.....he didn’t expect one of “those guys” to be on the forum or at least to speak up.   Lots of guys out there speak their mind not knowing what they are actually saying.  Imagine if it was a 12 yo kid that drew the tag and shot his first deer during this hunt.....that would make you feel pretty stupid wouldn’t it. 

I don’t think his statement was, by design, meant to be offensive.   I just don’t think he thought about what he was saying before hitting the post button.  Hopefully he will think about it with future posts. 

A lot of people equate quality to inches of bone.....  I equate quality to the processed meat and memories.  I have never been a trophy hunter.  I have been lucky to kill a few nice animals in my life but for the most part never pass up a legal animal that will feed my family.

[fishngamereaper]

Im just glad this got steered away from being an elk thread.....I might of had some esplainin to do. 

[hunter399]

I would shoot a spike last day of the season.
Did it last year OTC .
I mean it happens ,I hunted all deer season ,put many boot miles,had some missed opportunity. Called in sick to work last day of deer season.Hikeing up a ridge I was almost to the top ,I was thinking I'm gonna stop and take a look around at the top of it.BOOM a nice 4pt and doe jump over the ridge ,so I haul my butt over there just in time .The Doe was standing on the next ridge in range ,but that buck didn't stop for anything.So all this happens I'm just pissed and bummed out.Watching this nice buck jump up take off.Last day of the season.So I make it to the top of ridge and there is a road there that will circle back to my truck. I'm walking back with my disappointment .Boom there's a spike trying to cross the road about 75 yards in front of me. He trying to go in the same direction that the big boy just ran off .I look through the scope double check for horns .Yup he's a spike shoot fill my tag.
I didn't post it on the forum ,Its not one of my greatest moments ,but it put meat in the freezer. Believe me when I say I hunted the season hard .And earned that little buck.
That's just last year .In my life I have shot a spike a handful of times on the last day no shame in my game.

[coachcw]

congrats on a great time with family and friends .

[trophyhunt]

I'm sure bobcat didn't mean to hurt feelings, he's not that kind of guy on here.  I bet a few of us have joke with our friends about shooting spikes on a big hunt. 

[jrebel]

I'm sure bobcat didn't mean to hurt feelings, he's not that kind of guy on here.  I bet a few of us have joke with our friends about shooting spikes on a big hunt.

I agree and the only reason I busting his balls a bit is because that sentiment is a major reason people don't post pics anymore. 

[westsidehntr]

I'm sure bobcat didn't mean to hurt feelings, he's not that kind of guy on here.  I bet a few of us have joke with our friends about shooting spikes on a big hunt.

I agree and the only reason I busting his balls a bit is because that sentiment is a major reason people don't post pics anymore.

I agree I guess I just respect people more who follow up and own a mistake. Think he owes yall a, hey sorry guys, I don't know what I was thinking.

[bobcat]

Mistake?    You must have taken my post the wrong way. There was no mistake, and I won't apologize for looking at the harvest report and wondering how a person ends up shooting a spike on special permit hunts that are known for big mule deer. I thought it turned out being a great thread. I enjoyed reading the stories and all the comments. Only thing was not many people addressed my other comment about how the harvest report shows 8 hunters out of 15 permits for the Entiat rifle hunt, and a 100% success rate. Was it really a 100% success rate? Or could it have been a 57% success rate? 9 of the 15 hunters submitted reports, so apparently 1 person reported that he or she did not hunt. So assuming everyone else hunted, that's 8 bucks killed out of 14 hunters, for a 57% success rate. That would also be assuming that the 6 who didn't submit a report, did not kill a deer. But who knows. That's why I asked the question in my original post, why can't the WDFW call hunters in cases like this and get more complete data?

[huntnfmly]

Nice try bobcat I was giving you the benefit of doubt but one thing has nothing to do with the other you're right you did mean it and it was a dbag atatement

[Scheindogg]

Mistake?  You must have taken my post the wrong way. There was no mistake, and I won't apologize for looking at the harvest report and wondering how a person ends up shooting a spike on special permit hunts that are known for big mule deer. I thought it it turned out being a great thread. I enjoyed reading the stories and all the comments. Only thing was not many people addressed my other comment about how the harvest report shows 8 hunters out of 15 permits for the Entiat rifle hunt, and a 100% success rate. Was it really a 100% success rate? Or could it have been a 57% success rate? 9 of the 15 hunters submitted reports, so apparently 1 person reported that he or she did not hunt. So assuming everyone else hunted, that's 8 bucks killed out of 14 hunters, for a 57% success rate. That would also be assuming that the 6 who didn't submit a report, did not kill a deer. But who knows. That's why I asked the question in my original post, why can't the WDFW call hunters in cases like this and get more complete data?

Some people like myself apply for special hunts because there is less pressure and therefore have a better opportunity at filling the freezer. Maybe the dates work better for their schedule. Maybe they had plans for a longer season that got cut short. Maybe they’re not interested in very old deer in general. It’s by no means required to take an old deer with a quality hunt tag.

Also if you look at the special hunts page of the regs nowhere does it mention mature deer.

If you drew the tag, you would use your experience to get the biggest deer you could find, good for you. That’s quality to you. To others it could mean a multitude of things and I wouldn’t waste my time wondering why some hunters take smaller deer than others.

[Pegasus]

I don't know why bobcat's questions about the reported success ratios are not true pictures was not discussed here. We are left to assume that if they did not report on permit success then they did not score but they are not included in the  numbers. That skews the numbers into a higher success ratio for the hunt when it likely is not. Since we are required to report tag success I do not know why this has been the case for years and it appears that it is an easy fix. You can't buy a new license without reporting on the post season's tags. It seems like this would be an easy fix but for some reason it is not being done. Why? Are they artificially boosting success ratios by ignoring unreported permits? Require permit kills to be reported within 72 hours or send non-responders a letter after the permit season closes?

[trophyhunt]

I don't think I've seen a guy get bashed so much for such a little remark, I've said much worse things and not gotten beaten up so bad.